BEHIND THE SCENES: MORE STUNTS & GUNFIRE

This entry was posted on 11/22/2006 12:14 PM and is filed under production.

Making a movie with a lot of stunts and gunfire can be done very safely when everyone involved understands the necessity of the safety precautions and closely follows them. Our Cast and Crew have been fantastic, working their way through quite a few big scenes in an evening with both activities going on at the same time. Our Production Armorer Paul Adkins makes sure that everything comes off exactly as planned, coordinating the action between the Actors, the Director and the Assistant Director while our Producer Gabriele Andres liasions for us with the Tucson Police Department.

On one night (after filming up in Marana earlier that day), we filmed a complex shootout on the Artfare mezzanine followed by another even more complex shootout on the third floor of Artfare with several weapons that ranged from The Last Man rifle to a .45 and black powder revolvers for a little extra muzzle flash that blank cartridges don't safely provide when loaded that hot. The black powder guns can be loaded for flash without the higher pressures a blank cartridge needs to flash that large.

Those two scenes were dynamic because the first sequence is where Lionel blows away a Diseased guy in a chair who falls over backward then Lionel chases the other two Diseased to the exit where he shoots one at the top of the stairs and takes a dive down to the landing then he corners the other at gunpoint. In the other sequence upstairs, Lionel goes in and blows away a Diseased woman in bed then when her kids come out shooting, he blows them away too, only to be hunted down by the husband in a running gun battle throughout the third floor of Artfare.

On another night, we filmed gunning down the Band LOS NAWDY DOGS in the basement of Millers Surplus then Lionel douses them with gasoline and sets the building on fire. Getting all of that footage safely might sound impossible but once you know that it's filmed in very carefully planned stages that mesh with composited computer graphics, it's not too difficult to pull off without ever putting anyone's safety in jeopardy, despite how it may appear on screen.

Below are some behind the scenes photos from those nights:

 
Filming a lot of automatic gunfire requires a lot of blank cartridges. We used government issue M200A 5.56mm purple tip blanks with a discreet blank fire adapter designed specifically for use with these cartridges.
The blank cartridges we selected offered the highest degree of safety because they are thoroughly tested and manufactured to the highest quality military standards by the legendary Lake City Armory.
James Arnett introduces Assistant Director Paul Adkins (acting as Armorer) to the Last Man Rifle custom built for the movie.
James Arnett introduces Assistant Director Paul Adkins (acting as Armorer) to the Last Man Rifle custom built for the movie.
Armorer Paul Adkins overlooking one of the basement sets.
James Arnett and Paul Adkins meet with the LOS NAWDY DOGS band for their safety briefing.
James Arnett and Paul Adkins explain how the Band's safety will be ensured while having very rapid gunfire directed at them at close range.
George Landa of LOS NAWDY DOGS is cool with everything just as long as he isn't blasted in the groin.
James Arnett and Paul Adkins meet up with the Band Members of LOS NAWDY DOGS outside of Millers Surplus.
James Arnett and Paul Adkins meet up with the Band Members of LOS NAWDY DOGS outside of Millers Surplus.
Ken Deines and George Landa of LOS NAWDY DOGS outside of Millers Surplus.
James Arnett and Michael Hojjattie laying cable to power the lights in the basement of Millers Surplus.
Armorer Paul Adkins safety briefs Actor Santiago Craig about filming this night's live blank firing.
Having a Director with a history armoring movies and another experienced Armorer on set, plus an Actor experienced with movie firearms provided the Band with several layers of safety.
Armorer Paul Adkins inspecting each M200A 5.56mm blank on the stripper clips for safety. Keeping the rounds on clips make inspection easier and loading the magazines a lot quicker.
FX Makeup Artist Danny Hernandez gets to work on transforming Ken Deines into one of the Diseased.
FX Makeup Artist Danny Hernandez transforms Ken Deines into one of the Diseased.
FX Makeup Artist Danny Hernandez transforms Ken Deines into one of the Diseased.
Armorer Paul Adkins safety briefs Actor Santiago Craig immediately before a test firing.
Actor Santiago Craig about to fire The Last Man rifle with M200A 5.56mm blanks for the first time.
Actor Santiago Craig firing The Last Man rifle.
Makeup FX Surpervisor Frank Guerra gets to work on transforming Eddy Mansfield into one of the Diseased.
Assembling the Chinese Lantern.
Assembling the Chinese Lantern.
Actor Santiago Craig with Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra and Eddy Mansfield during his makeup session.
FX Makeup Artist Danny Hernandez transforming Ken Deines into one of the Diseased.
Eddy Mansfield transforming into one of the Diseased.
Michael Hojjattie sets up the Chinese Lantern at the end of the basement hall.
Michael Hojjattie gelling the Chinese Lantern with a red 26 gel.
James Arnett cabling the Chinese Lantern.
Actor Santiago Craig with FX Makeup Artist Danny Hernandez and Ken Deines during his makeup session.
Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra works on Eddy Mansfield.
Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra works on Eddy Mansfield.
FX Makeup Artist Danny Hernandez works on Ken Deines.
Armorer Paul Adkins loads The Last Man Rifle for Actor Santiago Craig.
Actor Santiago Craig and James Arnett discuss the basement entry scene.
Michael Hojjattie tweaks the Chinese Lantern.
James Arnett reviews a camera test for the 1-2-3K backlight gelled blue.
Actor Santiago Craig discusses pacing with James Arnett as Armorer Paul Adkins watches the rifle at every moment.
Armorer Paul Adkins watches over Actor Santiago Craig every moment that the rifle is on set.
Armorer Paul Adkins helping Actor Santiago Craig with the jerry can he carries in to burn out the nest.
FX Makeup Artist Danny Hernandez with George Landa and Eddy Mansfield see their camera test.
James Arnett shows George Landa and Eddy Mansfield their camera test.
FX Makeup Artist Danny Hernandez and Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra working on George Landa.
Makeup FX Supervisor Eddy Mansfield getting wrapped up in his bandages.
Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra and working on George Landa.
FX Makeup Artist Danny Hernandez and Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra working on George Landa.
Ken Deines in full makeup and costume.
Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra working on George Landa.
Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra working on George Landa.
LOS NAWDY DOGS Band in full makeup and costume.
LOS NAWDY DOGS Band in full makeup and costume.
LOS NAWDY DOGS Band in full makeup and costume.
LOS NAWDY DOGS Band in full makeup and costume.
James Arnett directs LOS NAWDY DOGS Band on set.
James Arnett directs LOS NAWDY DOGS Band on set with Armorer Paul Adkins slinging a bandolier of blank ammunition..
Filming LOS NAWDY DOGS Band on set.
Filming LOS NAWDY DOGS Band on set.
Filming LOS NAWDY DOGS Band on set.
Filming LOS NAWDY DOGS Band on set.
Filming LOS NAWDY DOGS Band on set.
Actor Santiago Craig with Armorer Paul Adkins immediately before lighting up each of the LOS NAWDY DOGS Band Members with gunfire.
Actor Santiago Craig taking last moment direction.
LOS NAWDY DOGS Band on set after filming, each without a scratch, perforation, flash burn or mishap.
Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra working on Jesus Medina jr. for the third floor shootout scene in the Artfare building.
Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra working on Jesus Medina jr. for the third floor shootout scene in the Artfare building.
Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra working on Joey Hernandez for the third floor shootout scene in the Artfare building.
Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra working on Joey Hernandez for the third floor shootout scene in the Artfare building.
Stuntman Tyler Steffanson, James Arnett and Assistant Director Justin Mashouf on set.
James Arnett edge lighting the scene with the 1-2-3K light..
Assistant Director Justin Mashouf on set.
Actress Sandy Distel and Armorer Paul Adkins at the craft service table.
James Arnett, A.D. Justin Mashouf and Armorer Paul Adkins working on set.
Stuntman Tyler Steffanson planning out the chair stunt where one of the Diseased is thrown over backward after being riddled with bullets.
A.D. Justin Mashouf and Stuntman Tyler Steffanson going over the night's action with the Last Man rifle.
Actress Vernice Robles-Barker getting into costume with the help of Actress Sandy Distel.
Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra working on Vernice Robles-Barker for the mezzanine shootout scene in the Artfare building.
Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra working on Vernice Robles-Barker for the mezzanine shootout scene in the Artfare building.
Actress Sandy Distel helps get Actor Joey Hernandez into costume.
Actress Sandy Distel helps get Actor Jesus Medina jr. into costume.
Joey Hernandez and Jesus Medina jr. directed on set by James Arnett.
Joey Hernandez and Jesus Medina jr. directed on set by James Arnett.
Actor Santiago Craig getting into his war paint.
Stuntman Tyler Steffanson just out of makeup.
Actor Santiago Craig backlit in war paint.
Actor Santiago Craig preparing to film the mezzanine gunfire sequence.
Liz & Christine Haro watching her cousin Actor Santiago Craig perform.
Richard & Virgina Barker watching their daughter, Actress Vernice Robles-Barker perform.
James Arnett directing Actress Vernice Robles-Barker and Stuntman Tyler Steffanson.
James Arnett directing Actress Vernice Robles-Barker and Stuntman Tyler Steffanson.
James Arnett directing Stuntman Tyler Steffanson and Actress Vernice Robles-Barker.
A.D. Justin Mashouf and James Arnett filming Actor Santiago Craig entering the nest of the Diseased.
A.D. Justin Mashouf and Actor Santiago Craig resetting for another take.Man rifle.
Actor Santiago Craig ready to light up the Diseased again with the Last Man rifle.
Filming the gunfire from behind Actress Vernice Roble-Barker and Stuntman Tyler Steffanson.
Actor Jesus Medina jr., Richard & Virginia Barker.
Actor Joey Hernandez about to get blown out of his chair in reaction to some rapid gunfire filmed earlier.
Stuntman Tyler Steffanson and Actress Vernice Robles-Barker engaging in a little simulated cannibalism on Anatomy Man.
In this scene, Actress Vernice Robles-Barker runs from the room to the elevators where Actor Santiago Craig corners her at gunpoint.
Filming Actress Vernice Robles-Barker and Actor Santiago Craig.
Filming an overbearing view of Actress Vernice Robles-Barker cornered by Actor Santiago Craig.
James Arnett and A.D. Justin Mashouf setting up to film Stuntman Tyler Steffanson taking a dive down the stairs after being hit by gunfire.
Stuntman Tyler Steffanson about to take a dive down the stairs into the crash pad when hit by gunfire.
Richard & Virgina Barker, A.D. Justin Mashouf, Actors Joey Hernandez, Jesus Medina jr. and Actress Vernice Robles-Barker watch the playback of the gunfire and stunts with James Arnett after filming.
 

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